SARDINIA: Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean and is formed by a series of mountainous massifs, hills and narrow highlands. The coasts are jagged and rocky, interspersed with marvelous beaches of very fine sand and countless inlets. The seaside landscapes, especially on the Costa Smeralda, are among the most beautiful in the world. Numerous small, enchanting islets are scattered in front of the coasts.
Cities: Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, ruled by a special statute. Other important cities are Sassari, Nuoro and Oristano.
Art: Very ancient and peculiar remains of the prehistoric and protohistoric eras are the megalithic "Tombs of the Giants"; the "domus dejanas" (houses of the witches), tombs dug into the rock; and the "nuraghi". The nuraghi, truncated cone towers in huge stone and fortified dwellings of the earliest inhabitants, number about 7,000 and can be found all over the island. Phoenician and Roman remains have come to light at Tharros and Nora; there are Roman relics at Porto Torres and Cagliari. The Gothic-Catalonian style thrived in the island under the rule of the Spanish House of Aragon.
Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean and is formed by a series of mountainous massifs, hills and narrow highlands. The coasts are jagged and rocky, interspersed with marvelous beaches of very fine sand and countless inlets. The seaside landscapes, especially on the Costa Smeralda, are among the most beautiful in the world. Numerous small, enchanting islets are scattered in front of the coasts.
Cities: Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, ruled by a special statute. Other important cities are Sassari, Nuoro and Oristano.
Art: Very ancient and peculiar remains of the prehistoric and protohistoric eras are the megalithic "Tombs of the Giants"; the "domus dejanas" (houses of the witches), tombs dug into the rock; and the "nuraghi". The nuraghi, truncated cone towers in huge stone and fortified dwellings of the earliest inhabitants, number about 7,000 and can be found all over the island. Phoenician and Roman remains have come to light at Tharros and Nora; there are Roman relics at Porto Torres and Cagliari. The Gothic-Catalonian style thrived in the island under the rule of the Spanish House of Aragon.